The Gary Sinise Foundation customized this space with smart home systems to provide additional freedom and comfort.

It occurred during Mark’s second deployment in Afghanistan. One night, he volunteered to be the pointman on a foot patrol and stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). When he woke up, Mark had suffered a bilateral above-knee amputation and amputation of his left forearm.

Although he was up and walking on prosthetics just two months after his injury, there were everyday tasks around the house that were more difficult to master.

“I saw a video that Huffington Post produced, ‘Hidden Wounds,’ that featured Mark and Heather sharing their story,” Sinise explains. “It was my first strong awareness of what they were going through and I knew that I wanted to look into building them a smart home.”

With Mark’s mobility in mind, the house was designed with extra-wide hallways, pull-down cabinets, and large windows so Mark could enjoy the woodsy surrounding area. It also has Elan Home Systems to anchor several smart home systems throughout the property.

Two QMotion Qconnect systems and 21 QMotion Advanced automated roller shades can open and close the home’s window coverings at the touch of a button, all so Mark can take in that wilderness landscape. There’s also a security system with six Linear IP indoor/outdoor cameras. Those whole-house sneak peeks will definitely come in handy when the couple welcomes their first child next month.

However, it’s the high-tech perks that make Mark’s everyday life easier that are most impressive. The cameras, the AV, and the rest of the smart home systems can all be accessed through the Elan app on Mark’s smartphone or iPad. If those aren’t accessible, there are Elan gHR200 remotes and four Elan gTP7 in-wall touchscreens throughout the house.

Besides focusing on what would improve the couple’s home life, one of the challenges of the installation was how to handle the brutal winters in Duluth, MN.

“We were nervous about the remoteness of the location and the delays that we could have possibly incurred due to extreme weather conditions,” says Scott Schaeperkoetter, senior project manager. “Thankfully, the contractor, Pete Franzen of Legacy Custom Homes, did an amazing job working through the hard winter months and delivered the home ahead of schedule.”

“This home will allow me to be more independent,” Mark says. “It probably sounds so simple to someone else, but I can’t describe the feeling of being able to do something yourself that you once couldn’t. The simplest task can be enjoyable and you want to do it again and again, just because you can. I feel I have been blessed a thousand times over and beyond of what is enough.”

Honoring veterans like Mark Litysnki, the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. Program was established to provide wounded heroes and their families with the necessary resources to overcome daily life challenges. The Gary Sinise Foundation is committed to helping our wounded heroes increase their mobility and reclaim their self-reliance. For more information, check out the Gary Sinise Foundation’s website.

Downloadable guide you may like:

Take a look at the award-winning projects in this Control4 showcase for proof
of its widespread adoption. Honored by Electronic House as 2017 Home of the Year
recipients, these 13 inspiring smart home projects demonstrate how a Control4 system can simplify and streamline the operation of a rack of home theater equipment, an outdoor entertainment area, or an entire house. Lights, thermostats, A/V gear, motorized shades, irrigation systems, electric door locks, surveillance cameras, and more can all be easily and conveniently monitored, managed, and controlled through Control4’s impressive range of user interfaces.

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